Everything is getting smaller and in a short time we have seen ARM bring forth both tiny, high performance solutions for mobiles and tablets – and soon also PCs with the launch of Windows 8. A new SATA standard will enable ultrasmall SSDs that should deliver a lot higher performance than previous small formats, used commonly in smartphones and tablets.
As ARM-based SoCs are becoming faster we are also experiencing more bottlenecks, limiting memory bandwidth , and I/O performnace. The new standard, SATA µSSD simply cuts the wires and lays out a standard for building SSDs in BGA format (Ball Grid Array) for soldering directly onto a circuit board. This enables a lot higher I/O performance without having to compromise on the space.
No cables means less clutter and lower costs, and SanDisk will be first to release a product for the standard. SanDisk’s iSSD comes with an integrated SSD controller and 8 GB to 128 GB capacity, while having the outer measurements of a single chip. SanDisks iSSD is 16 x 20 mm (WxD) and between 1.2 – 1.4 – 1.85 mm in profile with 32 GB, 64 GB and 128 GB capacity. In theory it should be able to deliver performance on par with a normalsized 2.5″ SSD.
SSD at 20 x 16 x 1,85 mm with 128 GB capacity
This is absolutely a step in the right direction toward a more mobile market where sales of smartphones and tablets are growing by the minute, but also units like Intel’s coming Ultrabooks will make use of the new standarden to enable even thinner and hopefully cheaper computers.
Source: SemiAccurate
